Index or file



July 5, 1932. w H, DAY 1,866,089

INDEX OR FILE Original Filed July 27. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 501 010501M/fiam H pay Allorzz/e li July 5, 1932.

Original Filed July 27. 1925 w. H. DAY

INDEX 0R FILE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wlnnmm H. DAY, or onm'ron} Patented July5,1932

mnn xion FILE ts aart uaeamed Jul '27, 1925, serial no. 46,336." Dividedand-this application filedfmarelifi' i, e, I 1930. seriai'no. 439,450.

r i Tliisapplicationis a division of applica -tion Serial-No.46,336,filed*July 27, 1925,

patented Oct. 28,1930, No. 1,7 80,006.

" This invention relates to indexes, files'or indicators of that typeinwhich aholder or carrier is employed to receive and mount a 'seriesofoverlapping index elements or feeom bearing members ofthe type generallytermed visible indexes,; wherein a'margin' o each card of theindex isexposed to view for the purpose of identification regarding the datacontained upon the-remainder of the ing members, gu'idesyor retainingmeans by 7.

card, or to allow readyand clearvisibility {of the'data uponthermarginsoexpos'ed'. The

carrier-or holder is 'usually provided with some arrangement-of indexelement' engagwhich'therecordebearing, members are held in positionthereon, and usually detachably so, while thecarriers are. eitherswingingly mounted upon 'a supporting frame to be I "manipulatedsimilarly to the leaves of abook,

' erallybeen provided with aflange'along'the [outer edge-thereof,leither. to act alone as, a

same time covering theside edges of-theseries of index elements toprotect the same from. -mutilation or being soiled. fThis structuretended toincrease the cost ofmanu'facturing the holders as well as toincrease the amount of room required for a plurality of suchlhold-'ers,-due to the increased thickness of the same z'at-"thispointg' a;.71 l

In some instances,the holders were ;constructed in such a mannerthatthey lacked the necessary stiffness required tobe properly andeffectively manipulated, due to the flimsijness of the holder framingand lackof supg "port for the front edge of-the same. ,Thiswasespeciallytr-ue when the, holder was formed. from a single sheet ofmetal which merely had a bent over edge alongsthe ifront thereof.

finger grip or assucha grip While at'the -Ineans allowing'a firm gripupon theedge,

causing the I i-other cases, these to a certain number of referencebearlng oonnncmcuninssmnon To ma a ma n on BUFFALO, 1;. Y. .1 V s,

possibility that the fingers would] I occasionally slip therefrom andcause delay inzthe usethereof;

holders were limited er edgeof the same, the ear b'eing of such def signand applied 'in such a mannerilthat a comparatively large amount, ofholder, sur- 7, face was not in use as :an index element sup- Y port. r

"' Theprincipal object of this invention, thereforefis to provide :animproved index holder 7 or carrier of the above type, which will fiberof such construction and combination a errangement of the parts thereof,:that the come; while retaining, all ,of the advantages,

decreasing thecost of manufacture and inabove mentioned disadvantageswill beovere creasing the efiiciency infthe use of the same-Another'object ofnthis invention is to'provide a carrier forindexelementsof the above will be light" ilrweight: and easily manipu- -type,with ainovel frame construction which lated, while being 1 ofsufii'cient- "stiffness 1 to,

properly Stand t e ra of i onstantflw l without becoming distorted.

Another object of this invention islto s'oar range the index elementretaining means'used in the frame portion of a carrier of thisitype thatthe index elements will be protected against mutilationwithout the useofa side flange or the like ,'in order to reduce thecomtime.

hi kness of aplurality of si eh h 1d-. ,ersto-a minimum. .7

stillancther bjfict io'f this instances to i provide index'elementisupportingmeans (of noveliconstruction by the use of which moreI of such. elements may be mounted thereon than formerly, therebyincreasing fthecapac; 3

ity of the index as a whole. s

Stillr'another object of'this invention isto provide 'a combination ofaretaining means and a support ng meansg'for use with such a type ofholder that the latter will cooperate with theframe to form anelficientdejviceiof this character whereon index elements maybe whileallowin a maximum quantity of such elements to be held thereby.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features andcombinations of parts to be hereinafter described and 7 In theaccompanyingdrawings Fig. 1 is a'ffontelevation of anjindex or file,embodying my improvements, showing the carriershingedly supported toswing as leaves. I

. Fig; 2 is a top plan viewof the parts shown in Fig. 1. V

Fig. 3 is aside elevation or side face view of 'one of the-carriers orleaves. V

Fig. 4 1s a section onl ne of Fig. 3. e

r Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the bottom portion of'the sidefaceof-the carrier shown I F g. 6 is a: section on line 6'-6 of Fig. 5. Fig.7 is a section on line 7 -7-of Fig.

Fig.8 is'al section on line 88 of Fig. 5;

. '9 'isaviewsiniilar to Fig.5, Wlth'fl "carrier having the position ofthe retaining member changed and a modified form of an. associated part.

' Fig. 10 is a sectiononiline 1010 of Fig. Fig. 1 I.isa side face Viewof a somewhat "modified 'form of carrier, embodying ceri tain featuresof this invention.)

Fig. ,12fi's'a section on line 12 12" of 11, and

Fig. 13 is a-v detailed viewof the form of 2 index element apted for usewith acarrier ofgthe form illustrated". Y

Forthe urose of illustratin m invenas Y 1 tion, I have selected thegeneral form of swinging leaf described in'the patent to R. D.

Hayesabove referred to, and have selected they form of index elementsused and described in connection with that form ofleaf and-which are ofthe type shown and'described in thejpatent to Irving Fisher, N o..- 1 fI,O4 8,O56, dated December 2 1, 1912.

i The particular form of leaf illustrated is somewhat similar instructure to the/one demount-tampon a supporting means comprising'a rack10, provided with so-c'alled upper lower tracks 11 and 12", which areslidingly engageable bycertain portions of'ea'ch' leaf l5, in thisinstance, the upper and lower arms 13131101 14;, to'swingingly supportthe" i i ed upon the leaf'by means of the cooperation same. "The leaf 15comprises a framework 2 of wires or rods, bent into suchform that arectangularly shaped open frame is-provided. "In this instance, thepreferred form of franie is formed by bendingthe end portions A16and17ofarod or wire 18 at right angles to the remaining portion 19 andterminating the same beyondthe frame'into the form of the arms 13 and14, for the purpose above noted. Portions 20 and 21 of another wire orrod 22 are bent 'at right angles to the remaining portion. 23 thereof,and the end portions-24. and-25 of this rod are bent at right angles tothe respective portions 20 and 21. The end portions 24; and 25 extendtoward each other and are substantially paral- 'lel with the portion 23.The rod 22, bent as above, is" adapted to cooperate with the rod 18 "toform the enclosed loop forming the open rectangularly shaped frame byhaving r the portions 20 and 21 closely associated with portions 16 and17 as shown in Fig. 3. The

.endportions 24 and 25 are closely associated with the portion 19 of therod 18. -'The portions 20 and 21 and ltiand 17 are tied togQtl181,'l11this-instance, by means'of the sleeves 26 which partially surround both,as shown in Fig; 3. Likewise, the end portions '24: and'25 are tied tothe portion 19by similar sleeves 27 shown also in Fig; 8. By the aboveconstructiona. very rigidframe structure is provided, thezmembers ofwhich are securely fastenedtog'ether in such a manner I that each:component braces the. other, both laterally and longitudinally. I

A thinsh-eet of material 28,-which to obtain the desirable lightnessiiiweight, is pref- :erably made ofal'uminum, is secured between 95.

the eomponents'of the frame. The edges 29 an'd30 of the sheet or baseplate 28garer'olled over-the wire or-rod'porti0nsf20 and 21, and

theedge 32 thereof is rolled over the wire or. rod portion'23.The'remaining edge 33 of the-sheetofmaterial-28 is rolled over theportion' 19 of the 'wireor'rod 18. These edgesfare rolled'over the wireor rod at the above mentioned points in such a manner that the I sheetor base-plate 31 lying'between' the vari- 'ous frame portions istheplane of the horizontal center: lines of the. wires or rods, as clearlyshown in Figs. 4,6, 7 and 10-, whereby the wires or rods form what maybe termed ahead which surrounds the. base-plate the outer edge thereof.

"Theiportion of the bead above mentioned, which is formed bythe rodportion 19 at-the 'f'ront edge of the leaf is of especial utility inconnection withthis invention, inasmuch. as the same forms" a fingergrip for use in the manipulation of the leaves to swing the same whenthey are mounted upon a support or rack 10', or'to draw them'in and. outof a cabinet'when slidingly mounted insuch a .devic 5 The index elementsor cards-34 are mount- "base-plate 31 by any'suit'able'meanspsuchaseyeletslO, and theraised edge portions 38 and 39 present oppositely and1aterja 11y de 'rected flanges which extend, in this instance, awayfromeach otherj To insure proper cooperation of the tongues *and36 of theelements 3 34, with these edge flanges, the

tongues are reversely extended "relatively to thest'rip" raised edges 38and 39, ina direction toward each other.* A reverse-order,

of course, is possible. ,Other' tongue-portions 4% and 42 are providedin the index element i'34,'whereby each ofthe same nests with adjacentones, asde'scribedin theabove mentioned Fisher patentlfBoth sides of thea .base plate are used to support'cards 34-and for this purpose'twostrips 37 '1 are used, one

on each side of the base" plate-31, eachef V which are arranged in,backto back relation tubular rivets.

and secured' to the base plate'by :the same.

- The retaining strip37 is prefei'ably secured to the base plate31,'slightly oifthe' longitudinal center line thereof, toward the rearedge, 'in order'that a front edge margin243 will be provided and thatthe index elements mounted thereon :will be spacedfrom the beaded frontedge of the leaf. The margin."-

43 cooperates with the beaded frontedg'eof the leaf or frame tofacilitatetheluse'of the guided in such movement therebydue to theengagement ofthe' tongue portions '35 and freeedges 46 and- 47 o'f-the'anged edge por tions 38 and 39 ofthefstrip when the-ele-- ments aremounted-thereon, and-prevent the movement by such engage-= bead as afinger; grip by spacing the samejfr'o'm the adjacent side edges of theindex elements mounted thereon, and insures thatthe index 1 elementswill not be soiled or otherwise mutilated when the leaves aremanipulated; f

'- The above mentioned cooperation betweenthe index elements 34 and theretaining strip" 37 is such that the elements '34 are 'free to slidelongitudinally along the strip 37 and be 36-with the raised edge.portions orfflanges 38 and 39. Relative lateral movement-between theelements 34 and-the strip 37 isprevented 1 by the provision of other'cooperating'portions of both. Vertically disposed edges 44 and areprovided associated with the elements 34 which engage a ainst" the outerrelative lateral index elements against. slippage downwardly and fromthe leaf. For this lpurpose, lhavei selected a pair of members'or ears'48 and 4 9,

the preferre-d formof'whichisjshowni.nFi.gs. 3,5, 6, and 7. The earmembers 48and 49' are preformed from ablanli of material;-prefer-' ablymetal, and comprise a'fbase portion '50 adapted to be suitablyfsecuredtothe plate 3l; such as by means of eyelets 515-1 A ermeate of these earmembers is turned: up and: over I the base portion 50, forming atthegbend 53:2. supporting shoulder to engage the edge;54 o f the Alowermost" index element of a I series,*" as shown in F 5.; 1,; 3 and5,'lthe..index element 34 inFig. 5 'eing shownin dottedlinesr.

v In order-that a :maximumniimber of index elementsmaybe' applied to andmounted upon 1a leafof a givensize,' it'is desirable thatthe "ears 48and 49, or at least-the: supporting porftion 53 thereof, be located asnear the lower 1 edge of theleaf as is-possible,whileretaining'theefficiency intheuse ofzthesame; It

1 is;necessary that the lower end 55 ofithe index element retaining andguide member 37 3 be spaced from the extreme lowerredge. 56 of the leafan amount sufficient to allow thetongue portions 35 and .36 of the indexelement;34 to slip-from under the flanges .38 and 39,-.re-

' spectively, when said element is removed fromthe guide 37 atthis-point after disengagement such operation by engagement with thebead 57 formed by the wire or ro'd portions 17' and? i from ears48 ,"49,without the tongue portions being mutilated, distorted. or preventedfrom 21, and the enclosing plate1edge30. @To'faoili- :tate removal oftheelement-from the guide strip,the flanged portions thereof are roundedatithis'end asat58.

disposediedge's .44 and 45: of the element with the. edges 46" and 47of, the strip. .It'fis, of "course, important; that this qcooperationbecontinuedthroughoutthe entire length ofithe strip 37 and affect eachofthe index elements *Jof the series; 5 The lowermost element,-gtherefore, must] be so located with. respect to the terminating point '59 ofthe edges 46 and..47,

ofthe strip 37, thatthe vertieal'edges44 and 45 thereof will at alltimes berefficie ntly engaged: The vertical edges 44 and .45 arepredeterminably located in respectfto thev mar-1 ginal edge i54 ofi the"index element 34' and for a 'certain' type; and size j-of element arestandard in this location.- It is, therefore, necessary toso locate themarginaledge 54" 11 of theelement in respeetto the terminating {As abovementioned, there is acooperatioif between 'theelem'e'nt :34 and the;guide strip whereby theseparts are prevented from{laterallyshifting,relativelytov each other/by means of the engagementof. the vertically v p'oint '59' andthefiangeathat proper engagementwill-bemaintain'e'd' between the edges 44 'and'4 5', and:'46'-and47,"respectively. This is accomplished by properly locating "thesupporting shoulderformediby -the bend 53 in the ears 48- and 49, fwithvrespect to the lower 'edge'55of'the retaining-strip 37. Theisup:

porting shoulder :formed' by ,the f: bend 5 3,

therefore, must' be spacedgfromthe terminat f ing point 59, whiehiconstitutesthe effective greater thanth fic -l.g i gb twe the hmginF54pfthei "edgesf44 and 45and den-element 34. 1;; ig;

as shown-"in Figs. Sand .7.- Figs. 9 and 10 i-llustra'te a somewatmodified form of; element supporting ears 60. In this form the base 50,above mentioned, is not required, as

r "the opposite "ears upon both sides of the leaf are formed from thesame pieee of material as shownin Fig.- 10, and are connected by theportion 61,Which is Wrapped about the baseplate edge 30. The portion 61substantially surrounds the'wire or rod portion 21andits surroundingbase-plate edge 30, and is with the base=plate 3 1, adjacentthis edge,whereby-a shoulder. 63' is formed which is analogous in use andconstruction to the supi porting shoulder formedby the bend 53abo'vedescribed, in connection with thef ears 48 and 49.

1 Figs. 11 and "12 illustrate a leaf70 wherein V the frame portion 71 isformed-of but one j wire or red and the frontedge 72 of the baseplate 73 is bent back'uponritself to: form 'a bead for the same use as abovedescribed. shown in dotted linesin Fig. 11, an index element'ia may bemounted upon a leaf in a some'what similar manner, as previouslydescribed regarding elemente fa with the. ex

ception that the retaining strip; ,75 is, inthis instance, located atthe longitudinal, center of the leaf. In order to obtain thefingergripping; andrelement edge protecting space 7 6,

s the tongues77 of the index element 'z fare struck up out of thematerial forming the same sufficiently off the longitudinal centerthereof to cause the body of the element or center of! theleaf. What isclaimed is:

- plate mounted therein, said framebeing composed of two rods, one bentto form three sides'of the frame and'the other bent to form 59 threesides of the frame and having a portionextending over" thefourthlside'thereo'f, and

ortion ofath'ird side thereof, and means overlapped'rel'ationoi'i; saidframe '3 Inan'index'or file-,an index dardca-rrier frame havingz'armportions extendifigbeypnd one side thereof to engage a support, s'aidwise on said base plate.-

armstbeingextensions of a rod formng three sides of the frame'and a rodsecured to each of the threesides so formed and forming the fourth sideof the frame, and meansjfor supporting index elements on said frame. r

r {L In an index or file, an index card carrier cured thereto to orm theother side of'said frame, said second mentioned rod having otherportions reinforeingtwo sides of said frame and other, portions securedtoathird portion extendin between said armsand seside thereof, and meansfor supporting index elements on said frame. erimp'ed at'62 into more orless close contact p I 5.- In an in ex; or file, an index elementcarrier comprlsing a base-plate and arectangu- 1 larly shaped frameabout said plate composed. a

of a rodsurrounding three sides thereof and another rod forming thefourth side and having portions extendingflin? adjacent and parallelrelation to. the three other; sides, and

means-forsupporting-index elements flatise onsaid base plate;

V 6. In an index or file, indexelement caranother rod forming the fourthsideand hav-" ing'portions extending along and parallel to the threeother sides, said second mentioned rod portions being secured to thefirst-mentioned rod at the parallel portionsthereof, and means forsupporting index elements fiat- 7. In-an indexorfile, anindex elementcar- 'rier comprising a rectangularly shaped surrounding frame having.a-bas e-plate inter- I Jposed therebetween, said frame composed of cardto'assume a position off the-longitudinal a rod-like structure havingsingle rod portionsat one-of its sides, and double rod porh r tions atthree sides thereof, and means for 1 In. an ndex or file, ani-ndex cardcarrier I supporting index elements fiat-Wise on saidv eoniprilsingia.frame of rodsor w1re,-a r-base base plate.

8. A frame strueturefora panel or thelike, comprising arod-like'me'mberbentto form three sides of said frame,.- andanotherrodlike memberbentto form one-sideof saidframe and to overlap portionsof said first mentioned member upon the;-- three sides frame structurefor supporting a series ofi'ndex elements thereon;

like, comprisinga. rod-like m mber bent to form three sides-ofsaidjframe, and another rod-like member bent to form: one side of, saidframe and to overlap portionsoffsaid firstmentioned member upon thethree sides forniedthereby, meansto secure said second mentioned member,at the points of overlap, and means carried by said frame structure,

' formed-thereby, and means can-ied b'y-said 90A 'f'ramefstruc'ture' fora panel or the V for supporting a series of index elements thereon. V r10. A frame structure for a panel or the like, comprising a rod-likemember bent to I form three sides ofsaid frame, and another" rod-likemember bent to form one side of said frame and to overlap portions ofsaid firstmentioned member upon the three sides formed thereby means tosecure said second I mentioned member at the points of overlap, saidmeans comprising a sleeve-like member embracing both rod-like membersand pressed 7 into close contacting relation therewith, and meanscarried by said frame structure for supporting a series of indexelements thereon.

WILLIAM H. DAY.

